Holiday light display a 'labor of love'

Neil DiSpirito expects to be working “around the clock” outside his Falls home until Saturday night, when the switch on his “Light It Up With Santa” display is flipped on.

DiSpirito and the jolly elves who make up “the best crew that money can’t buy” are racing to put up about 100,000 lights, more than 250 illuminated characters and about 2 dozen inflatable decorations in time for the unveiling.

The goal is to light up the night all around his home at 1 White Spruce Lane in the Willowood section of the township. He uses wind power to make it happen.

“It’s a labor of love,” DiSpirito said Thursday afternoon. “It’s a ton of time and a lot of effort.”

But the Falls resident wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love Christmas,” DiSpirito said.

It will be the 20th year in a row the holiday light celebration will illuminate the Levittown neighborhood. This year’s effort has been slowed by Hurricane Sandy and the nor’easter that followed a week later.

“We lost a week to 10 days (of setup time),” DiSpirito said.

He takes four weeks of vacation each year from his electronics technician position with the Neshaminy School District to work on the display. The rest of the work is done at night and on the weekends leading up to the annual flick of the switch.

Thousands of area residents have taken part in the festivities over the years.

The 2012 version of the free holiday event begins at 5:55 p.m. Saturday, when Santa Claus arrives via firetruck to help a local child turn on the lights.

Falls police will close the street to traffic at 5 p.m. to accommodate the crowds, said DiSpirito. Free pretzels and juice boxes will be given to the first 500 kids, he said. After the switch is thrown, Santa will stay to talk to all the kids, DiSpirito said.

His holiday display will be on from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. beginning Saturday and running through Dec. 28.

Joan Hellyer: 215-949-4048;

email: jhellyer@phillyburbs.com;

Twitter: @BCCTintheknow

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